Review of South England Tactical Gun Range in Tadley

The Gazette team was recently invited to the newly opened South England Tactical Gun Range, in Ash Park Business Park, Tadley, to test out our shooting abilities in their gallery.

Here's what reporter Matt Rooks-Taylor had to say:

As a lad growing up, I spent my fair share of time as a teenager picking up a PlayStation controller and shooting zombies in Call of Duty with my mates, it was the cool thing to do at the time and I have many fond memories bantering with friends and taking the mick when they didn't perform great.

So, when I received an invite to try the South England Tactical Gun Range, I jumped at the chance to pick up a real gun and shoot some targets.

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Reporter Matt tkaes on the gun range (Image: Newsquest)

The gun range itself is not the easiest place to find, it's in a warehouse out in the sticks, and you need a code to enter the business park itself. Once in, we were given a safety talk by our instructor, Ryan, who assured us that all necessary precautions are taken to ensure safe use of the weapons, he taught us how to load, hold and fire the ranges weapon of choice - the infamous AR-15.

A relatively lightweight semi-automatic rifle, the ArmaLite AR-15 is a beast of a weapon used by numerous armed forces all over the world. We were given magazines filled with pellets, taken around a course and shown which targets to shoot.

The surge of adrenalin I felt upon hearing that first 'ding' of the metal pellet hitting the metal target at high velocity was incredible, and, making my way around the course, it only intensified.

Having 'killed' the bad guys and 'saved' the 'hostages', I felt good. Really good. It is one of the most fun and unique experiences the town has to offer.

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Matt with an AR-15 (Image: Newsquest)

After several rounds of the course each, we were tested with a time trial, and while I wasn't the speediest out of the bunch, I am happy to say that I didn't miss a shot.

I'll honestly say that I never once felt unsafe, I trusted myself with the weapon and knew that no harm would come as long as I followed the advice of the instructor.

The course made for a great team-building day, there was a decent amount of competitiveness between us, and it was great to see how much everyone progressed throughout the day.

In a weird way, it's actually quite therapeutic. The feeling of satisfaction you get while walking towards and shooting a target, hearing that beautiful noise when the pellet clinks against the metal, is incredibly calming.

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Reporter Lola with her rifle (Image: Newsquest)

This is the ultimate stress relief if you need to channel your emotions at the end of a hard week, and I don't think it should be controversial to go out and do something you enjoy.

The day was topped off with a tutorial on how to shoot a pistol.

We were taught how to correctly hold, rack and shoot a Glock 17, the standard sidearm of most police forces and militaries. We were then taken into a smaller room, given ear protectors and allowed to fire two blank rounds.

The pistol itself was surprisingly weighty in comparison to the assault rifle, and it felt powerful, which is most likely due to how loud it was.

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Reporter Kiran in a military vest (Image: Newsquest)

Most handguns are illegal to own in the UK unless there are exceptional circumstances and it is easy to see why after handling this 9mm pistol.

I am glad that we have the gun control that we do in our country, you wouldn't feel comfortable if any Tom, Dick or Harry could walk along the street carrying a firearm, but I do like the idea of having a place you can come to use these sorts of weapons, knowing that so many measures are in place to ensure you are safe.

In my opinion, this doesn't glorify guns, it actually offers a fresh perspective on them. It teaches you safety and respect for the weapons in a way that allows you to have fun while doing so.

I would genuinely recommend this experience to anyone who wants to try something new and different, it would make a brilliant and unique Christmas present.

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Matt with his rifle (Image: Newsquest)

You can't truly judge something unless you experience it first-hand, so even if you are sceptical, go in with an open mind and see what you think.

This is absolutely something I am going to do again.

Here's what the Gazette's head of news, Emily Roberts, thought:

Holding the heavy piece of machinery in my hands, knowing its potential power, I felt adrenaline coursing through me. Trying out the new tactical gun range in Tadley was completely out of my comfort zone. It was not something I would ever seek out to do. Guns don't appeal to me. I'm not a fan of action films. Even children using nerf guns makes me feel slightly uneasy.

But when my colleague invited me along to try out the new facility as a team, I felt intrigued enough to give it a go and find out what the appeal was. Could the activity quell my apprehension that shooting guns for fun surely can't be a good idea?

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Reporter Lola Crossman with her father (Image: Newsquest)

The site is based in a large warehouse on a secure business park, well away from houses. You couldn't stumble upon it accidentally.  

We received a short introduction, which included always pointing your gun at the floor when not in use and never at anyone else. I had to double-check with a colleague that these guns were real. It seemed implausible that we would so easily be allowed to hold one without someone hammering home their potential danger beforehand. 

It might seem obvious, but sometimes when it comes to safety the obvious needs to be spelled out - guns can and do kill. They aren't toys. They are weapons, designed specifically to kill.

I felt somewhat reassured when Ryan, our instructor, informed us that, of their thousands of customers, no one had ever been injured, but only after he advised where the air ambulance would land if required. 

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Gazette team (Image: Newsquest)

I couldn't help wondering who was attracted here. Who decides to go and spend the day shooting for fun?  "It could be anyone from colleagues such as yourselves to groups of friends or family," said Ryan, also pointing out that the facility is often used for training. 

Ryan advised that the government regularly checks the facility and its training methods and that instructors are obliged to report any 'red flag' information given to them by participants. He also pointed out that to injure someone with a gun, you would need to point it directly at them, lift the safety catch and choose to pull the trigger. 

You could argue we are surrounded by multiple potential 'killing machines' in our daily lives, cars being just one. We all choose not to use them to injure or kill people. However, guns have no other purpose than to kill. It's what they are made for. And in such an environment where guns are turned into a hobby to use for fun, I can't help but wonder whether encouraging people to shoot is a sensible idea. Does it normalise guns? Is it likely to attract the 'wrong sort' of person, looking to learn how to use a gun for reasons other than team bonding or family fun? 

Following a lesson in how to use the guns, Ryan accompanied each of us around the course showing us where to shoot metal targets. It was harder than I had expected, the sheer weight of the gun making my arms ache. I initially struggled to find the green dot to shoot the target accurately, before Ryan realised my left eye was dominant, despite being right-handed. As soon as my left eye was covered, the dot appeared. It was an interesting discovery.

I enjoyed the challenge, particularly the competitive nature of trying to complete the course in the quickest time. Before long, my nerves and fear had subsided, and I was simply having fun with my colleagues. However, this fun nature of the activity made it easy to forget that I was holding something designed to kill.

It was only once I got home that I felt uneasy about it all. I'm not someone who is going to do anything with my new shooting knowledge. I probably won’t ever go again. I suspect many people who visit are the same. So, does this make it a harmless, fun activity for adults to enjoy? I'm not sure I'm convinced it does.